Farnborough vicar to be Prior of Leicester monastic community

Date: 06 March 2017

Revd Rachel Bennetts, Church of the Good Shepherd, has been announced as the Prior to a new monastic community in Leicester.

The new community will offer 18-35 year olds a year-long residency focused on "prayer, study and service" with an emphasis on community work. As Prior, Rachel will lead on the recruitment of young adults, the formation of the community, all aspects of community life and develop links with churches around the diocese of Leicester.

The community is to be founded on the ruins of Grey Friars abbey, the site where the remains of Richard III were discovered in 2013.

Rachel has served in Farnborough since 2006, overseeing a period of significant growth in the church and establishing a ‘Discipleship Pathway’ and overseeing the development of foodbanks and English language classes to help integrate the many Nepali residents in the parish into the community, as featured in this video of Bishop Andrew's first day as Bishop of Guildford.

Rachel said: “I am thrilled to be appointed as Prior for this new Community. It is going to be an exciting faith adventure for everyone involved with huge potential for transformation and the growing of young adults as committed followers of Jesus. I very much look forward to joining the team in Leicester and seeing how God shapes this exciting new vision into a reality over the coming months.’’